Content about FluMist

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved the formulation for the 2012-2013 flu vaccine, the agency said Monday.

The agency's approval is for all six licensed flu vaccines for the 2012-2013 season: Afluria, made by CSL; Fluarix, made by GlaxoSmithKline; FluLaval, made by ID Biomedical; FluMist, made by MedImmune Vaccines; Fluvirin, made by Novartis; and Fluzone, made by Sanofi.

ST. LOUIS — An intranasal vaccine that includes four weakened strains of influenza could do a better job in protecting children from the flu than current vaccines, research released Tuesday by St. Louis University found.

As many as 111 million Americans had gotten a flu shot by mid-November, representing 36% of the 305 million Americans older than 6 months of age, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in early December. The number of people getting vaccinated is up slightly from last year, the CDC reported, most notably among children and seniors.

WASHINGTON — Flu activity in the United States for the 2011-2012 season currently is low, making it an ideal time for Americans to get vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

ATLANTA — New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 115 people ages 18 years and younger died from influenza-related causes between September 2010 and August 2011.

Despite the agency issuing a recommendation for vaccination of all children ages 6 months and older back in 2008, only 23% of the 74 children older than 6 months of age with a known vaccination history had received their flu vaccine last season.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new influenza vaccine formulation for the 2011-2012 flu season, the agency said Monday.

The FDA said six manufacturers are licensed to produce vaccines. These include GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, manufacturing Fluarix; CSL Limited, manufacturing Afluria; ID Biomedical, manufacturing FluLaval; MedImmune Vaccines, manufacturing FluMist; Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, manufacturing Fluvirin; and Sanofi Pasteur, manufacturing Fluzone.

ATLANTA — Many adults across the United States opted to visit their local drug store or supermarket to receive their flu shot during the 2010-2011 influenza season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report."

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. More than 690,000 Americans already have received this season’s flu vaccine from their doctors, according to SDI’s VaccineTrack data through Sept. 4.

VaccineTrack provides syndicated weekly vaccine usage by physicians based on medical office electronic healthcare reimbursement claims data.

ATLANTA A panel of immunization experts reporting to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday voted to expand the recommendation for annual influenza vaccination to include all people ages 6 months and older, a marked change from recommendations in the past that identified high-priority groups by age and condition, groups that apply to approximately 85% of the population.